SNP has strong base despite Humza Yousaf’s resignation

The SNP faces an uphill struggle to revive its flagging fortunes in the polls after the dramatic exit of Humza Yousaf as First Minister.

The party has been thrown into a fresh round of feuding after Mr Yousaf’s gamble, in ditching the Scottish Greens to go it alone in a minority government, backfired in spectacular fashion.

Public arguments brought on by a leadership contest would appear to set back the SNP’s immediate hopes of clinging on to most of their 43 seats in Scotland at the general election.

The gloom surrounding the SNP presents a huge opportunity for Labour to become the biggest party north of the border once again – at least when it comes to the Westminster constituency map – and boosts Keir Starmer’s chances of winning a big majority.

It would also appear to set back the Scottish independence cause. The movement has been stuck in a strategic impasse even since the Supreme Court’s dismissal of the bid to hold a second referendum.

Though the SNP built support for independence even after losing the 2014 referendum and moving from one charismatic leader to another under Alex Salmond and Nicola Sturgeon, Mr Yousaf’s time in charge ended the momentum behind the push for another say.

However, polls show that Scottish voters have been firmly deadlocked on the independence question for several years.

With roughly half of Scotland persuaded by the case for separation, it represents a strong base for the SNP to spring back from – should a new leader manage to draw a line under its current woes after the general election.